Automatic train-stop



M'. TAYLOR. AUTOMATIC TRAIN STOI. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 19, I920.

1 349, 1 72 Patented Alig. 10, 1920.

EH31. Z 3 l I v/ 1 I a III( \I 1 I IE ell/WIM MARION TAYLOR. OF SOUDAN, VIRGINIA.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN -STOP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 10, 1920.

Application filed January 19, 1920. Serial No. 352,480.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARION TAYLOR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Soudan, in the county of Mecklenburg and tate of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Train-Stops; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which make and use the same.

This invention relates to automatic stop device for railway cars and the like, and it has more particular reference to an attachment which be carried by the car body, to be acted on by one of the axles in case one of the wheels leaves the track, such action serving to release the air in the train pipe, thus causing the brakes to be applied. 7

The principal object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is of such construction that it may be applied upon railway cars of various types, wherein the space between the axle and the car body varies, this device being applicable because of its vertical adjustment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned character which is extremely simple in construction, strong, durable, one which will positively apply the brakes upon derailment of one of the car wheels, and one which has means to retain the parts in ineffective position under ordinary circumstances.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts as will be more fully described and claimed. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a side elevation of a portion of a railway car equipped with my automatic train stop.

F ig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the the line 3-3 Fig. 2.

Similar reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views. In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the letter B designates a car box or body, and the numeral plane of it appertains to an improved is designed to P indicates the usual train pipe by means of which the brakes are applied.

Briefly described, my invention comprises an air conduit formed of a combination of pipes, which communicates with an opening in the train pipe P. This air conduit is adj ustably supported by novel means, and is equipped with a valve, which is controlled by one of the wheel axles.

In carrying out my invention, I preferably employ a T-coupling 1 which is connected to the train pipe P in the manner shown, and connected to this T-coupling is a substantially L-shaped pipe 2 which has connection at its opposite end with a second T-coupling 3. Also connected to the last named T-coupling is a short pipe section at which forms the aforesaid air conduit. At the lower end of the pipe section 4 is a turn plug or valve 5 which is rotated b means of a suitable handle 6 which is designed to extend beneath, and be spaced away from one of the wheel axles. This operating handle may be of any suitable construction, but I desire to provide it with a flat portion 7, with which a suitable spring 8 coacts, which arrangement of parts prevents opening of the valve under ordinary circumstances.

As before stated, it is one of the objects of this invention to so construct the device that it may be used effectively with railway cars of various constructions, that is, With cars wherein the space between the axles and the bottom of the car body varies. To accomplish this feature, I desire to employ a supporting bracket 9 which is secured in any suitable manner to the car box or body B, being disposed transversely of said body. This bracket is provided at its center with an opening through which a vertically movable member extends, this member in this instance being in the form of an adj usting screw 10, and in order to adjust it I employ nuts 11 and 12, the first named nut being disposed below the opening in the bracket, and the second named being disposed above the opening. As the adjusting screw 10 has threaded engagement with the T-coupling 3, it will be seen that upon proper rotation of the nuts 11 and 12 the device may be adjusted for use on various types of cars.

In operation, the handle 6 is positioned beneath an axle at a point substantially midway the length of the axle. It is normally held in closed position by means of the spring 8 as already described. Should one of the wheels leave the rails for any reason whatsoever, the axle will engage the operating handle 6 in such manner as to move it in a direction to open the valve 5, which position of parts will permit the escape of air from the train pipe P, and in turn apply the brakes and stop the train the instant one of. the wheels leaves the track. If, upon attaching my device on a car, it is found that the space between the axles and the bottom of the car body is too great or too small to permit the effective positioning of the device to cause it to be operated on, in

case one of the wheels leaves the track, it

can be adjusted. Such adjustment may be accomplished'by loosening the nut 11, that is, by rotating it from right to left, and then rotating the nut 12 in the same direction,

which operation would move the adjusting screw 10 vertically toward the bottomof the car body. andwould in turn raise the operating handle 6 toward the axle. This adjustment will not be hindered bythe L-: shaped pipe 2 because it includes a short vertical pipe section which connects with an elbow at one'of its ends, and at itsopposite end with the T-coupling 1 so, by the employment of a wrench or the like, this vertical pipe section may be either removed andanother pipe substituted, or it may be rotated in such a manner as to decrease the distance between the elbow and the T-cou-r pling 1. This operation of course will take place when the operating handle is found to be too far away from the axle with which it coacts, when secured in position on the car. 7

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is believed that the manner in which my device operates is entirely obvious, therefore, further description is deemed unnecessary. 7

his to be understood that the form of my invention herein shown and described is to be taken as the preferred form of the same, and that various minor changes in the shape, size anddetails of construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the prlnciple ofthe invention or the scope of the S11bjOlI16Cl' combination with acar body equipped with a pneumatic brake system; of a bracket carclaims.

- I claim thetrain pipe of said system, a valve in said conduit, being disposed in close prox- I imity to an axle, and a valve operating lever connected at one of its ends to the valve and having its opposite end positioned beneath and spaced away from said axle,

whereupon derailment of awheel will cause the axle to engage the lever and move it to a positionto openrthe valve and apply the brakes. I I

' 2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a train pipe and a car body; of a bracket carried by the body, a

7 by said valve and extending beneath an axle,

whereupon derailment of a wheel will move the handle to a position to apply the brakes, and means associated with the handle for retaining the valve normally closed, but permitting it to be opened if r the wheel leaves the track.

3. The combination with a car body and a train pipe, the latter having an outlet opening of a substantially L-shaped pipe communicating with the opening in the train pipe,

a bracket secured -to the 'car body, said,

bracket having an opening therein, a vertically movable member extending through the opening in the bracket, means coacting with said member to adjust it vertically, a T-shaped coupling associated with the L- shaped pipe, said movable member being connected to the T coupling, a pipe also connected to said coupling, and axle operated brake controlling mechanism in said pipe.

4:. In a device of the character described, the combination with a car body and a train pipe, the latter being provided with an opening; of a substantially L-shaped pipe communi'cating with the opening in the train pipe, a supporting bracket secured to the car body, said bracket being provided with an opening at'its center, an adjusting screw extending through the opening in the bracket, a nut on said adjusting screw above the bracket, a second nut on the adjusting screw below the bracket, serving to adjust sa1d member vertically, a T-coupling associated with the'L-shaped pipe, said adju'sting screw'being connected at one of its ends to sa1d 'l -coupl1ng, a pipe also connected to said coupling-and axle operated brake controlling mechanismin said pipe.

5.- In an automatic train stop device, the

MARION TAYLOR. 

